Dallas Seminary Foundation

WHO WE ARE

Dallas Seminary Foundationwas established in 1987 to support the mission of Dallas Theological Seminary by offering charitable planned giving and other related services to friends of the seminary.

Charitable Planned Giving is a field of financial planning designed specifically for those who value charitable giving. It explores ways to give beyond cash, and seeks out ways to reduce taxes and create greater efficiency in one’s overall planning.

The average American’s net worth consists of approximately 10% cash and 90% hard assets. To support a desired ministry, most look to cash to determine how much they can give. Planned Giving opens the door to strategically position other assets, thereby leveraging them for kingdom use. As a result, one’s giving capacity is increased tenfold while simultaneously attending to personal and family needs.

WHAT WE DO

Dallas Seminary Foundation seeks to serve friends of the seminary by offering counsel, tools, and services to assist in their charitable giving desires. These fall into several general categories:

1. Gifts in the Will

Naming your charities in your will is a wonderful way to support the ministries you care about.

It costs you nothing now.

Careful planning makes it easy to find funds for these gifts.

There can be little to no reduction in bequests for family members.

It reflects a heart of stewardship and worship towards God.

It becomes part of your legacy as you further God’s work well into the future.

The Foundation offers a free Estate Design Service for those wanting to review their plans together. We will evaluate your goals and objectives and prepare an Estate Design which will highlight various ways to accomplish your goals efficiently and in a God-honoring way.

Benefits of the Estate Design Service:

Reduce taxes and other costs

Maximize resources for family and ministry

Find efficient ways to fund your charitable gifts

Engage with God to make your planning a spiritual exercise

Create a plan with lasting meaning and significance

2. Appreciated Assets

Certain assets gain value over time, subjecting the owner to a potential capital gains tax at the time of sale. Examples include:

Publicly-traded stocks and bonds

Mutual funds

Real estate

Privately-owned business

Mineral rights

These assets are subject to a capital gains tax at the time of sale. For assets held longer than one year, the tax rate can range from 15% to 23.8%, with a possible state tax on top of that.

We help to find ways to minimize or bypass the capital gains tax. There are multiple methods to accomplish this, including outright gifts to charity, partial gifts, or the use of a specially-designed trust which can pay you income for life.

3. Gifts that Pay Income

Income Gifts allow the donor to accomplish two objectives with the same resources—make a generous gift to charity, and receive income for life. This is a very cost-effective way of accomplishing multiple goals while also realizing valuable tax benefits.

Income Gifts allow for an income tax deduction in the year the gift is created. When funded with appreciated assets, the donor may be able to bypass much of the capital gains tax. And some of the income can be received free of income taxes.

These gifts can pay income to the donor (and spouse) for life, and can even continue payments for the next generation for a number of years. They can even be set up to benefit others.

Business Planning – Tax-saving charitable solutions for business owners

HOW WE CAN SERVE YOU

Dana Barber – Planned Giving Officer

Dana is available to help explore ways to support DTS both now and in the future, such as through a gift in the will. She has been serving donors at the seminary for over 17 years and can help identify creative ways to give. This may include a Charitable Gift Annuity, a Scholarship in honor of a loved one, or a Donor Advised Fund. She can also discuss the benefits of giving retirement funds or appreciated assets like stock or real estate. “It would be my pleasure to help you think about and fulfill your stewardship goals.”

Kevin Kurtz – Planned Giving Officer

Kevin helps friends of the seminary with their charitable gift planning. This includes assisting with future gifts that can extend one’s legacy for future generations. He oversees donor stewardship and directs the Foundation’s charitable gift annuity campaign. His entire career has been in the business side of ministry “and his delight is in the law of the Lord.” Kevin enjoys people and is honored to be with DTS, an institution that God has used mightily to shape evangelical thought in our generations.

Cheryl Richardson – Director of Gift Administration

Cheryl oversees the Donor Advised Funds and provides receipting, record-keeping, and payment arrangements for Charitable Gift Annuities and other gifts. As the Scholarship Coordinator, she helps others memorialize loved ones through scholarships that provide funding for worthy students. Cheryl has a background in accounting, sales, marketing, and admissions. Her gifts include hospitality and mentoring. Cheryl says, “It’s inspiring to work with donors who have such a generous heart and desire to serve the kingdom through their giving.”

Sonia Flores – Director of Finance

Sonia handles all things accounting at the Foundation, managing the Donor Advised Funds, Charitable Gift Annuities, Trusts, and Scholarship accounts. She came to the Foundation after working for an audit firm for over 15 years specializing in nonprofit ministry accounting. She has worked with all types of ministries across the nation and is privileged to be able to use her expertise in managing the various accounts and also to work with donors that have questions about their accounts held at the Foundation.

Kayla Jimenez – Administrative Assistant

Kayla is likely the cheerful voice that will greet you when calling the Foundation or the friendly face you will see first upon entering our space on the second floor of the Horner Administrative Building. She assists in many ways, including helping to ensure that your experience is both warm and productive. Kayla finds it a privilege to work for the Foundation and is continually inspired by the generosity that the Lord has poured out on this seminary through our wonderful donors! Kayla’s husband, Eric, is a ThM student at the seminary.

Scott Talbot – Executive Director

Scott Talbot has over 30 years of experience in the field of financial planning, including 20+ years in planned giving. Prior to joining Dallas Seminary Foundation, he served as the Senior Executive Director of Planned Giving at World Vision, where he assisted donors with their planning needs and oversaw the planned giving team.

Other organizations with which Scott served include Campus Crusade for Christ, where he provided leadership to a team of gift planners and assisted ministry partners with their plans. Previous to that, he served as Gift and Estate Design Specialist in the northeastern region of the United States with In Touch Ministries.

“My passion is to invest my life in such a way as to make a positive eternal impact in the lives of others,” Scott shares. “Dallas Seminary Foundation is a wonderful place to do that, as we partner together to promote the person and mission of Jesus Christ.”

Scott has earned the designations of Certified Financial Planner™, Chartered Financial Consultant®, and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy®. In addition, he is a Bible college and seminary graduate.

Scott is a native of southeastern Pennsylvania. He is married to Susan, and they have a son and daughter-in-law—Austen and Julia—who currently live in Tokyo. Scott is based in Dallas, Texas, and can be reached at 214.887.5191 or stalbot@dts.edu.

We would love to get to know you better. We invite you to contact us to share your story and discuss your goals and wishes or to request information.

If you want to experience God, find out where God is working, and join that. —Henry BlackabyI Chronicles 29:11-12, 14, 16